What is last compatible official version of shell32.dll for windows 95 and how to install / where to obtain?

[cov3rt]

I'm having some trouble confirming what is the last official shell32.dll version for windows 95 osr 2.x systems. The reason why i ask is because i want to ensure most stable operation, although i will be using a patched explorer.exe mentioned via below thread ( dencorso's method ), but for shell32.dll, i want to be sure im first finding the latest official before any discussion is made on using an unofficial one. I have downloaded a package referenced via mdgx, with windows 95 in the title, but windows 95 is not mentioned anywhere in the microsoft article, which is for q313829. downloading the file and extracting shows shel95.dll 4.72.3812.600, however, this is not the same as shell32.dll, and although the updated shel95.dll may be needed, i want to be sure im also getting the most up to date shell32.dll file. interestingly, the inf specifies shell32.dll under "[SedGen.Sys95]" which i presume to be for windows 95, but no such shell32.dll file exists in the package. 

indirect / vague source of a user who says one can update to shell32.dll 4.72.3812.600 on windows 95:

https://fivetechsupport.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2668

dencorso's method for explorer.exe patched with 256 color tray icon fix ( original ie 4.01 sp2's version of explorer.exe version 4.72.3612.1700 apparently is buggy ):

 

Edited July 21 by cov3rt

[awkduck]

Is that MSFN post about Win95?

Anyway, you can swap out the dlls by booting to DOS.

C:> ren \windows\system\shell32.dll \windows\system\shell32.lld
C:> ren \windows\system\shell32.new \windows\system\shell32.dll

That's if at the C: root. Just rename and copy the new one(s) over before you re-start in DOS.

Then you can test and look for problems.

If it doesn't work, start in DOS and revert.

I'm running with version 4.0.0.1112.

The last version of IE, to work with Win95, probably has the "official" latest shell32.dll for Win95. I'm not sure if there is a newer one.

I've 7zip and Cab extracted IE before, and found the stuff I've needed. After extracting the main packaged installer, I needed the Cab extract found in the contents. Their are folders designated for the different versions of Windows. So the one with shell32.dll and labelled with a 95 is the one you want.

There are probably easier ways to get it. And, the one in the latest IE (for 95) might not be the newest usable.

[cov3rt]

The thread i linked earlier does not exclusively pertain to windows 95, which is largely why i made this post as im trying to get information from those who may have experimented and / or have more front end knowledge on these things. I should also mention that it's not just shell32.dll that i want to get more information on, but also explorer.exe. According to the microsoft article below, the 4.72 line of shell32.dll would get installed on windows 95 IF using ie 4.01 sp2 and installing via "windows desktop update" route ( shell extension ), which in this case, would specifically install shell32.dll 4.72.3612.1700. it's unclear if newer versions for this line may only be supported on windows 98FE/SE or newer, but not windows 95, at least not officially?  

As for explorer.exe, it is mainly two questions, what is the latest that can get installed officially on windows 95 and two, whether dencorso's manual patching method of explorer.exe 4.72.3612.1700 ( for 256 color tray icon fix + any other possible bug fixes ) would also work on windows 95 without problems?..., which i suspect if 1st question is yes, then question two would also be yes as well? 

I do not have a system to test at the moment for windows 95, but i was working with one earlier just recently and installed ie 4.01 sp2, and it was much more responsive than windows 98SE was, and didnt have strange / unusual bugs. The thing is, i didnt check shell32.dll / explorer.exe versions at the time on the 95 system, since it wasn't something i knew about to do. for 98SE, it's a long story, but i did a lot of modification to it, specifically with the unofficial service pack 2.1a that apparently was giving me a lot of problems, at least i suspect it was related to explorer.exe and / or shell32.dll, which i still couldn't get perfectly working after using different versions. 

Ideally, if i can get clarification for both win95 and 98 in relation to the shell32.dll / explorer.exe questions, that would be best. 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/versions

 

[jumper]

Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2 should contain W95Y2K.EXE. It installs an updated Shell32.dll that corrects date format issues in the "Find Files or Folders" dialog. To avoid other system issues, you should have OSR2 or 2.5 installed as well as IE4.01-SP2 full install and W95y2k.

IE5.5sp2 is the last IE for Win95. I'd try IE5.01(sp4) first. Both should contain the last compatible 4.72 version of Shell32.dll.

 

[cov3rt]

21 hours ago, jumper said:

Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 2 should contain W95Y2K.EXE. It installs an updated Shell32.dll that corrects date format issues in the "Find Files or Folders" dialog. To avoid other system issues, you should have OSR2 or 2.5 installed as well as IE4.01-SP2 full install and W95y2k.

IE5.5sp2 is the last IE for Win95. I'd try IE5.01(sp4) first. Both should contain the last compatible 4.72 version of Shell32.dll.

 

ok so apparently shell32.dll 4.72.3612.1700 is last official version for windows 95 osr 2.x. but what about for explorer.exe? im guessing since ie 4.01 sp2 includes explorer.exe 4.72.3612.1700, then that would also be last official version as well? also can you answer on whether dencorso's manually patched explorer.exe 4.72.3612.1700 ( which i linked in my earlier post that turns explorer.exe version into 4.72.3612.1705 ) also works on windows 95 osr 2.x and / or is necessary for any fixes? it appears to be mainly if only for the 256 color tray icon fix?